Twelve People Banned from Dozens of Stores and Entire Parts of a Town
A total of 12 individuals have been banned from entering various stores and areas of a town in Greater Manchester as part of a crackdown on shoplifting. The bans, which have been issued by Greater Manchester Police, are part of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) that aim to prevent repeat offenders from committing further crimes.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the 12 individuals have been slapped with hard-hitting CBOs, which will remain in force for years in some cases. Three men and a woman are banned from entering any Co-op store throughout the whole of Greater Manchester, while others are banned from particular areas of Stockport, including the town centre, as well as from other named stores like B&M Bargains, Tesco, and Sainsbury’s.
The Manchester Evening News reports that the bans are part of Operation Rimini, a police operation launched in Stockport to combat shoplifting. Chief Inspector Clare Ryle said that the operation aims to tackle shoplifting right across Stockport and take necessary action against repeat offenders.
"We understand the frustrations from businesses and the general public when some people feel they are able to shoplift routinely, therefore putting up the cost for everyone else," Chief Inspector Ryle said. "That is why we are tackling shoplifting right across Stockport and taking the necessary action. Working closely with local businesses we have been able to reduce shoplifting using Criminal Behaviour Orders that restrict offenders from entering a designated area. This has been an effective tool to prevent further crime."
The Manchester Evening News has identified the 12 individuals who have been issued with CBOs. They are:
- Kelsey Atwell until April 2027, banned from entering 17 different stores in the town, as well as entering the town centre
- Mark Swindells until March 2027, banned from entering any branch of Co-op, Greggs, or Tesco within Greater Manchester
- Darren Sweeney until October 2027, banned from any Co-op store in Greater Manchester
- Rachael Culverwell until September 2026, banned from every Co-op, One Stop, and Poundland store in Greater Manchester
- Emma Atwell until July 2026, banned from the Merseyway Shopping Centre, Warren Street, and the Peel Centre, as well as from every Sainsbury’s store in Greater Manchester
- Martin Smith until March 2026, banned from Merseyway in Stockport
- Stephen Ridgway until September 2026, banned from every Co-op shop in Greater Manchester
- Lorne Newman until September 2026, banned from every Co-op shop in Greater Manchester
- Natalie Price until May 2026, banned from the Peel Centre as well as every B&M and Marks and Spencer store in Greater Manchester
- Dean Bower until October 2027, banned from the Co-op store on Wellington Road South, Stockport
- Dominic Barragan until February 2027, banned from several shops including The Range and Hobbycraft at the Peel Centre, and every Co-op shop in Greater Manchester
- Christopher Lawrence Butler until January 2027, banned from the Co-op stores on Wellington Road South and Hall Street, Stockport
Chief Superintendent John-Paul Ruffle said that CBOs are a valuable tool to fight crime across Greater Manchester, ensuring that offenders are starved of the areas in which they operate and cause a persistent nuisance to people’s lives.
"CBOs are a valuable tool to fight crime across Greater Manchester, ensuring that offenders are starved of the areas in which they operate and cause a persistent nuisance to people’s lives," Chief Superintendent Ruffle said. "The breach of one of the orders can result in an arrest and even imprisonment, which acts as a deterrent to those who think they can cause harm and issues whenever they feel like they want to. In addition, CBOs can last anywhere from a few months to being indefinite, meaning that the worst offenders can be prevented from their criminal behaviour for the foreseeable future."
The Manchester Evening News reports that arrests for shoplifting in Stockport are up by almost 50 per cent over the past 12 months, with the number of criminal charges being brought rising by 45 per cent. The police operation aims to continue to tackle shoplifting and bring repeat offenders to justice.
